Bridge & other card games/Bridge

Advertisement

Expert: Unhunk - 6/13/2015

QuestionI apologize for the difficult time I have had in properly wording the question I want answered and I agree you have already answered it a couple times; however, I did not have the question worded correctly. It is worded correctly below and will not be asked again. I am truly sorry.

Are you saying it is sufficient to overcall a 1 S opening bid with 2 H
(having only 13 points and 5 H). I thought you must have 6 H. I realize the overcaller must go through with the 2 H in this case, but you do agree, do you not, that normally the overcall requrement would be 13 points with any 6 H or 6-9 points with 6 H (2 of which are honours). Possibly I have missed something and, if so, I apologize and thank you for your patience and indulgence with me.

Stewart Fluney

AnswerHi,

After 1S by the opponents it is advisable to have 13 points and 6 hearts in order to overcall 2H. However, it is permissible but riskier to do it on a very good 5 card suit headed the AKJ or KQJ or better. However, this is a riskier bid and if you choose to pass instead that is ok.

The 6-9 point requirement refers to a preemptive jump overcall if the opponents open 1C or 1D. This is a jump overcall since you are jumping over the available 1H bid in order to bid 2H instead. You should have 2 honors for this bid. The purpose of this bid with the weaker hand is to take up bidding space and make it more difficult for the opponents, who likely have most of the high card strength, to have an intelligent auction. If the opponents had opened 1S, then do not bid 2H with 6-9 points since it is no longer a jump overcall. You now need 13 points as stated above.

Unhunk

Expertise

I can answer questions on bidding and on cardplay with the caveat that the former may necessarily involve some subjectivity. I have been playing tournament bridge for over 20 years and I have won several regional tournaments.